Coalbed Gas Code of Practice
Current Version of the Coalbed Code of Practice
Disposal of Water Produced During Coalbed Gas Extraction
British Columbia is home to a wealth of natural resources, among them natural gas. Coalbed gas (CBG) is natural gas found in underground coal deposits.
This gas is contained within the coal seam where it is adsorbed or attached to the coal particles. Pressure from the overlying rock and the water within the coal seam keeps the methane adsorbed in the coal. During production, water is pumped out of the coal seams, lowering the pressure and thus releasing the gas to be collected and sent to market. Any water removed from the subsurface is referred to as "produced" water.
On February 27, 2007, the Provincial Government released "The BC Energy Plan: A Vision for Clean Energy Leadership". The Energy Plan clarifies and enhances British Columbia's commitments to making British Columbia's coalbed gas production the most environmentally responsible in North America. By the new standards put forward in the Energy Plan, companies wanting to develop coalbed gas will not be allowed to surface discharge produced water. Any re-injected produced water must be injected well below any domestic water aquifer.
Following are links to technical resources on produced water:
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is Coalbed Gas?
British Columbia is home to a wealth of natural resources, among them natural gas. Coalbed gas (CBG) is natural gas found in underground coal deposits.
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How is CBG extracted?
This gas is contained within the coal seam where it is adsorbed or attached to the coal particles. Pressure from the overlying rock and the water within the coal seam keeps the methane adsorbed in the coal. During production, water is pumped out of the coal seams, lowering the pressure and thus releasin the gas to be collected and sent to market.
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What happens to the water that is pumped out?
The pumped water (or "produced water") may be disposed in one of two ways. One method is to re-inject it deep underground.
A second method is to discharge the water into streams or to ground via infiltration (surface disposal where the water seeps into the ground), provided it meets environmental standards.
The Ministry of Environment has developed new regulations, developed through extensive research and study of relevant jurisdictions, to ensure that where the second method of disposal is used, both water quality and the environment continue to be properly protected.
These regulations will be administered by a code of practice.
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What is a code of practice?
A code of practice is a set of rules, standards or practices
that must be used by a particular industry. For some sectors,
instead of a permit for every individual operation, B.C has
what amounts to a single set or requirements applied to all
operations in a particular sector or industry.
The code of practice sets the rules and standards for that
sector that ensure the environment and our health is properly
protected.
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How is a code of practice different from a permit?
A code of practice is similar to a permit in that it contains
rules and standards for protecting the environment. However,
rather than having a permit for every business, the code
essentially acts as a permit for an entire sector.
By eliminating the need for case by case permits, and the
paperwork that goes along with that, government staff are
able to spend more time in the field, ensuring compliance
with the standards set out in the code.
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What are some specific requirements of the coalbed gas code?
The CBG Code of Practice sets out the rules and standards
for disposing of excess water produced when CBG is extracted.
The Code includes:
- Baseline studies of the receiving environment.
- Toxicity
tests based on widely accepted scientific tests and standards.
- A
provision that allows the Ministry of Environment to
determine the disposal method for produced water.
- A provision
that allows the ministry to immediately step in if it
appears the environment is being negatively
impacted.
- Strong standards for seasonal streams in
order to protect riparian zones and the streams' proper
ecological
function.
- A requirement that about 50 parameters
be tested for with produced water.
- A requirement that
water monitoring records to be kept for five years.
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How are B.C.'s rules for CBG different from those in other
jurisdictions?
B.C.'s rules and standards for water disposal are world
class. The majority of the requirements listed above are
stronger than those found in other jurisdictions where CBG
is extracted, including Montana and Wyoming.
B.C.'s standards were developed based on science and by
careful study of the experiences and standards in other jurisdictions.
B.C.'s standards build upon what has been experienced in
other jurisdictions.
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What are the penalties for violating the Code?
The maximum penalty under the Environmental Management Act
is a $1 million fine or six months in jail, the same as for
violations of permits.
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Who will monitor and enforce the Code?
The Oil and Gas Commission is responsible for ensuring the
code is followed by industry. In addition, staff from the
Ministry of Environment can inspect a CBG site at any time.
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How do companies determine which water disposal methods
to use?
Since 2003, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum
Resources, in cooperation with the Oil and Gas Commission
and the Ministry of Environment, has held community meetings,
open houses and information offices to gather public input
on coalbed gas development.
The Ministry of Environment consulted with the Union of
B.C. Municipalities, the West Coast Environmental Law, the
B.C. Wildlife Federation during the development of the Code.
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What substances are most likely to be found in the water?
The most abundant minerals found in deep coal aquifers are
common salts similar to baking soda and table salt.
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How can I be sure that the water in my community will be
protected?
The code has strong provisions to protect drinking water
and irrigation water from any contaminants in discharges
of produced water.
In addition, a technical assessment must be done by a qualified
professional if a discharge of produced water to a stream
is within five kilometres of a drinking water withdrawal
point or if a discharge to ground is within two kilometres
of a drinking water withdrawal point.
If necessary, the Ministry of Environment can impose additional
requirements to protect the environment and human health.
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Who was consulted in the development of the Code?
The companies are required to conduct tests of water from
a well or group of wells. Only water that meets the standards
in the Code may be discharged to surface streams or to the
ground.
The water must meet the standards in place before it can
be discharged. If the water does not meet the standard when
it is extracted, the company may decide to inject it deep
underground. They may also decide to conduct sophisticated
desalination treatment to meet the Code.
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There have been test wells drilled in B.C. What has been
the quality of the water produced?
The only discharge to date has been from a pilot project
in the Elk Valley that began in 2002 and ceased in the fall
of 2004. The water was very similar to that from nearby coal
mines and not unlike the water in the rivers of the area.
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Will there be baseline studies of existing water quality
in areas where coalbed gas wells are planned?
Any company proposing to discharge water from a coalbed
gas well is required to do baseline monitoring of the environment.
This will include field sampling and surveys supervised by
a qualified professional.
For disposal of clean water into a stream, there must be
a survey of the water quality, aquatic life and vegetation.
An assessment of the stream's daily volume flow over a one-year
period must also be done.
For surface disposal that will see water seep back into
the ground, there must be a quality survey of the groundwater
that may be impacted and a study of the capacity of the ground
to accept the discharge.
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Is there a requirement for timely reports on testing and
monitoring of produced water?
The Code requires companies to have a strict monitoring
program. The monitoring must include the following:
- a report on the initial monitoring of the receiving environment
- a report on the initial analysis of the produced water
discharge
- a report of ongoing monitoring of the receiving
environment
- an annual compliance monitoring report including
a report of any significant environmental change
- a report
any time toxicity tests have failed twice in a row
- a
report when a discharge causes environmental changes
that require corrective action
Related Links
Updated: july 2007
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